Facing a potential $60 million annual shortfall to pay for these bennies, the City is looking to cut its losses. On the other hand, the retirees, some making well in excess of $100,000 a year in retirement benefits, believe that their generous medical coverage (much better than most private sector employees could hope for) are sacrosanct:

"...the central issue ... is whether City Hall may change ... the medical plan former city workers initially received upon retiring ... Two former city employees testified Tuesday that retirement handbooks and briefings by city pension officials led them to believe that the city could not "reduce, change, revoke or eliminate" their health coverage after they retired."

Attorneys for the Queen City countered that these retirees apparently aren't averse to any changes, "only ones that cost them more money. Dental and vision coverage, for example, has been added to the coverage without complaint."

Facing a potential $60 million annual shortfall to pay for these bennies, the City is looking to cut its losses. On the other hand, the retirees, some making well in excess of $100,000 a year in retirement benefits, believe that their generous medical coverage (much better than most private sector employees could hope for) are sacrosanct:

"...the central issue ... is whether City Hall may change ... the medical plan former city workers initially received upon retiring ... Two former city employees testified Tuesday that retirement handbooks and briefings by city pension officials led them to believe that the city could not "reduce, change, revoke or eliminate" their health coverage after they retired."

Attorneys for the Queen City countered that these retirees apparently aren't averse to any changes, "only ones that cost them more money. Dental and vision coverage, for example, has been added to the coverage without complaint."